Rollover closes U.S. 40 for several hours

Steamboat Springs  U.S. Highway 40 was closed in both directions over Rabbit Ears Pass for several hours Friday afternoon because of a tanker rollover accident.

A tanker semitrailer carrying CO2 crashed on the pass at about 5 a.m. Friday, said Cpl. Jack DeSanti of the Colorado State Patrol. No one was injured, and no other vehicles were involved in the accident.

"The tanker became detached from the truck, and the trailer rolled over," DeSanti said.

Traffic was reduced to one lane for most of the morning, but the pass was closed entirely at 11 a.m. for safety reasons, while the CO2 was transferred to other tankers. CSP needed a crane to right the tanker truck and clear the roadway.

The pass was reopened to traffic at about 5 p.m. after a six-hour closure.

Earlier reports that the accident involved a fuel spill were erronenous.